Peeta's third reaping
by No fear no regret
Summary: Peeta was captured by the Capitol at the end of the 75th Hunger Games. It's his story as he was held there. As she is a major part of his story, Katniss will be sharing her thoughts too. DON'T read this fanfic if you don't want the beans to be spilled. MAJOR spoilers of what happens in Mockingjay, the third book of THG's trilogy. I do not own the characters, Suzanne Collins does.
1. Chapter 1

Peeta's POV:

I was running in the jungle, towards the soon-to-be electrified tree. I heard Katniss call my name. I called out, and ran as fast as my prosthetic leg would carry me. Just before I was about to reach Katniss, I saw her shoot an arrow in a small chink in the forcefield. What ensued was surreal. The dome blew out into a flurry of glimmering shards. I caught a glimpse of the night sky just before falling through the ground. As I hit the floor, I blacked out.

I woke up in a dark room. The only thing I could remember was the last time I was awake, I was still in the arena. I then looked to my surroundings. My eyes slowly got used to the low level of light. I noticed that there were two other people with me, lying on the floor, breathing slowly. I tried to identify them. They were both women. One had short hair and, most of all, seemed very muscular for her size. She didn't have the shape of a body-builder but still, she was very well trained. Her traits made me identify her as Johanna Mason. The other one seemed very frail. I remembered seeing her during the last reaping, at district four. She was the one for who Mags volunteered. Her name took a little more time than Johanna's to come back in my mind. She was Annie Cresta, the mad girl from district 4.

Both were sleeping. I suddenly saw an opening in the wall. I heard footsteps and felt hands strongly grip my arms. I wanted to scream, but I didn't as I didn't want to wake the women up, to scare them. I got carried out of the cell, towards a small room, highly guarded. I was pushed in it so hard it made me fall to the ground. As I stood up, I saw President Snow waiting for me. He was the last person I wanted to see.

He started to talk, "Hello Mr. Mellark. It is a pleasure to see you again. Would you have the indulgence to tell me about what you know about the rebellion?"

I didn't know instantly what to reply. I didn't know anything about what was going on. The only thing I cared about was to know if Katniss was safe, and not imprisoned. I told him that I knew nothing. The look on his face signified that he didn't believe a word of what I just told him. That it couldn't be possible that I had no clue about what was going on.

Before I could do anything they brought Johanna in the secret chamber. Some peacekeepers tied her arms and legs together. They lifted her up and she was then brought into a water basin. She was panic-stricken as soon as she was entirely immersed. Snow threw a look to a soldier who was close to a console. After a light nod, he raised a lever. Johanna's reaction was immediate. She stiffened and then started to be more and more panicky. She was literally shaking like a leaf.

I couldn't help but feel tears welding up my eyes. I had no clue about what happened out there, out of the building I was held in. I couldn't help my friend and that was one of the worst feelings I knew. They are supposed to know that they can count on you, and I felt that I betrayed them by not being able to help them. As the President saw the look of horror on my face, he smiled wickedly. Snow had somewhere else for me to be, though. I was supposed to meet with Portia in order to get prepared for an interview. She knew that I wasn't supposed to know, but, after making sure the room was safe, without any bugs, she told me about what was going on in the rest of Panem. She also informed me about the role I was supposed to play. I was literally shocked. How could I help the Capitol by trying to avoid the conflict, by bringing the people to a cease-fire?

I was finally ready to go on the stage. As I walked through the hall, Portia followed me silently. I was about to go onto the stage for my interview with Caesar Flickerman, when Portia pulled me back and whispered, "Be careful what you say." I nodded to signify my comprehension and I joined the man with the lilac-dyed hair who wore his usual navy blue suit covered with light bulbs.


	2. Chapter 2

Katniss' POV:

The schedule printed on my arm showed that I was supposed to go to the control room at eleven in the morning. I compared mine to Gale's. We had the same thing planned. I thought it would be a meeting to know if I would take my role as the Mockingjay. We entered the room talking loudly, Gale and I, and the technicians hushed us and told us to come closer to the big screen. Coin told me to go in the first row.

I thought it would be best if Peeta was dead. So, when the screen went on and when I saw Caesar, I immediately wondered who could be his guest. Nothing would've prepared me to see Peeta prepped up and ready to do an interview. Unconsciously, I raised my hand and touched the screen where the boy with the bread was sitting. My eyes glued to the screen.

I thought that it was a blessing that he didn't have any injuries. At least, he didn't seem to have any. It seemed that it was only yesterday that he got out of the Arena. I was relieved because it meant that nobody hurt him since we left the Arena, a month ago.

The interview went on and I practically wasn't listening to what was said until my name came up as subject matter. Caesar asked Peeta if he knew the reason why he got out of the Arena. The blonde boy said that he only remembered seeing the dome being blown in sparkles of fire before the warp at the level below the arena. The next question Peeta answered was if he thought that it was me that blew out the arena. Right after he asked the question, Caesar told Peeta that the interview was on in every district of Panem, including district 13. There was a hint in Peeta's eyes that he understood that by saying district 13, Caesar meant me.

The blonde boy said that it was clearly not me that did it. In fact, he was unsure of what exactly happened. He said that it was a great mash up of events which brought the Arena to destruction. He also responded that nobody knew exactly what they were doing, that it would end up as it did.

Caesar then asked Peeta if he wanted to tell me anything, wherever I was. He then looked straight in the camera, and his blue eyes found their way to my heart. There was plenty of honesty, of wisdom in the blonde boy's eyes. He told Caesar that wherever I was, I had to try to make the war stop. Everybody had already suffered too much and he didn't want the people of Panem to suffer more.

Everyone in the room with me had the same reaction; they all had a face of disgust. There was no way that the war could stop at this very moment. Everything had already gone too far. Many Justice Buildings were destroyed and chaos was the only thing happening in most of the districts. Only the districts very close to the Capitol were unaffected so far.

Caesar then closed the interview by telling everyone in the Capitol to stay tuned as a popular television show was soon to begin. Coin turned off the monitor and, with a very calm voice dismissed us.

The day after, the President of thirteen said that the reason why she brought us all here again was that we were about to make some Propos (propaganda spots). Plutarch put a notebook on the table and told me to flip through it. I did so, and what I saw amazed me. Cinna's perfect designs once again appeared in front of my eyes. I felt his presence through the pages.

I asked Plutarch when Cinna drew all these. He told me that it was after the Quarter Quell announcement, but before the beginning of the training. He also ensured me that the suit was in thirteen, already designed and assembled. He also told me to go see Beetee in the armory because he had a surprise for me.

As I was intrigued, I wanted to go to the armory quickly. Seeing that I didn't want to end up there alone, I asked Gale if he wanted to come with me. Since it implied Beetee and weapons, his answer was immediate and affirmative. It was the first time I went. The only way to access to the armory was by the elevator considering that it was well below the ground level, a lot more than the residential units.

When the elevator doors opened, I rushed out of it and then had to wait because Gale wasn't by my side. He already passed many days with Beetee in order to plan attacks on the Capitol. I definitely chose the good partner to guide me towards the armory. Just when my best friend finished knocking, the door automatically opened.

The great man greeted us and brought us in a very highly guarded section. There were two metal detectors and DNA scanners one after the other. I thought stupidly that it was impossible that someone's DNA changed in less than 10 seconds. Even though, I passed the security with both men and then went in a secret room. Beetee showed us a very sturdy bow. It seemed very heavy and it was full of unimaginable gadgets.

I was impressed and I was right when I thought that I couldn't use it. It was intended for Gale. He began without losing a moment to shoot the dummies installed at the end of room, almost 50 yards from us. His first shot was successful as it hit right on target. Just then Beetee showed me a slim black box. He told me that it was my official weapon.

I opened the box and got the bow out of it. I was a little disappointed when I saw it wasn't built as Gale's. I asked the engineer what were the specifications of my bow. Just when the first word left my lips, I felt a steady humming in my hand. I simply couldn't believe it. My bow was alive. Not only that but it reacted to the sound of my voice.

Beetee told me that I simply had to say good night to bring my bow to silence. I couldn't be more amazed, and seemingly, it weren't enough. The district 3 man told me that I had my own quiver, which contained explosive, incendiary arrows and normal ones. I would become the best dressed and best equipped rebel of all time. I was overjoyed I made the decision to be the Mockingjay.


	3. Chapter 3

Peeta's POV:

Right after I left the television set, I didn't know where to go, so two guards grabbed my arms and a third one knocked me out. I woke up a day later. When I did, Johanna and Annie were awake. The woman from district 4 was covering her ears with her hands and started humming with her eyes tightly shut. Johanna, for her part, seemed badly bruised and very anxious.

I tried to get an explanation about what was happening to us but both women were too far gone in their minds and thoughts to even hear what I asked. I was also really tired. I lied down and fell asleep surprisingly quick. Each day we were getting less and less food. We each had a daily session with Snow, as he tried to get information from us in order to receive clues about what they could do against the rebellion that was occurring.

Once in a while, I was brought into an empty room and before the door was closed, a peacekeeper was walking in. One of the wall seemed to be a mirror and I guessed it was a one-way glass. The man in uniform was getting close to me, kneeling. He asked me if I knew anything about the rebellion. Every time I said I had no clue, I was getting either punched or kicked. As there weren't any possible escape, I cowered and tried to dodge the blows but since I was weak, the peacekeeper was a lot faster than me.

We were witnesses of each others "treatment". Also, to show how controlling the Capitol was, they tortured both the avoxes that were assigned the penthouse during the last Hunger Games, in front of me. The girl died instantly as the electricity dose they inflicted her was far over her tolerance. I learned later that her name was Lavinia, by Johanna. Sometimes, without any consideration, the Peacekeepers called both of them redheads. As the Peacekeeper, who controlled the lever, increased the power, the only sound we heard was the girl howling, before a sudden silence.

After her death, it became obvious that Snow's goal was to break me. He would kill people I care for in front of my eyes, hurt my friends, hurt me in every possible way. I was trying to keep holding on and sometimes it took all my willpower in order to stay myself. I thought that if I could keep up with the silence long enough, there were less people that could be hurt by my actions or my words. As the President wanted to keep me under his control, immediately brought the other avox serving our floor during the week before the third quarter quell.

The avox man, Darius, who I've only seen once or twice in the Hob, in district 12, was stronger than the avox girl. It took many days to get "rid" of him. He went through the electric treatment, the whipping station, before he landed on the quartering table. At each question answered with a pleading sound, the avox man was quartered from an inch more. This treatment had been going on for almost three hours when Darius gave me a look that we both knew was his last. He had a tiny smile as he was happy that it was finally over. The Peacekeeper noticed our unsaid exchange and as a consequence gave a final twist to the wheel controlling the quartering table. I heard a "Snap!" and then all that was left of Darius was his lifeless body.

After a while, the treatment I was inflicted daily got severe modifications. I was brought in a room with a giant flat screen. Some suckers were put on my head, on the frontal cervical lobes. The monitor started to show clips of Katniss in the Hunger Games. The only things they showed me was her over-the-edge rationalism. At first I was astonished how beautiful and flawless she was. Slowly, my opinion changed. As I felt a migraine growing in my head, I started to perceive the girl of my dreams as a horrible being. When my opinion changed, the memory became clearer. Strangely, it felt the same as when I got stung by those Tracker-Jackers, in my first Hunger Games.

It was no longer possible for me to say if the girl with the braid loved me or only played it. It was awful being confused with my own thoughts. I was, by the end of the first week sessions, sure that Katniss never tried to save me and that she always did anything but care about me. Considering that my migraine was awfully severe, my conscience was only held by a thread. The decision to drift off was easy to make as it would get me rid of the pain, momentarily.

I was no longer being held with Johanna and Annie. I even started being violent. I couldn't recognize myself. I haven't been aware of the change in my head except that I lost all the trust I had in Katniss. Even if the memories I kept from the Hunger Games didn't match with the course of events, I had no choice but to believe them. No one could stay in my company for any longer than half an hour. Considering this, no one I could trust was able to stay long enough with me to convince me of what I thought was real wasn't at all. My new room consisted of a hidden dungeon. I didn't stop throwing myself on the walls as I didn't want to stay there, to stay alive. I wanted it to end; to stop suffering.

Two weeks after the beginning of the clip treatment, I was brought again to Caesar's television set. Portia came and dabbed makeup on my entire body. My rib cage was showing under the shirt I was wearing. I was wondering while I look in the mirror how much I thought I had changed. As the makeup came on, I looked better and better. However, someone paying a close attention would have seen how bad I was. I finished looking very handsome and all covered by a thick layer of foundation, to cover every imperfection caused by Snow's treatment.

Even if I thought I had an easiness to move people, this time was different, I was more focused on the pain running under my skin when I moved. I have been held by Snow for nearly two months. In fact, I didn't even want to do this interview, I just wanted to run and hide. As I stood behind the scene, someone had to push me in order to make me go and do it.


	4. Chapter 4

Katniss' POV:

We had a meeting this morning about what was going to be our first propo. We tried to make it real, but Haymitch didn't think I was believable enough to be projected in all Panem. He reunited us with everyone who had been in touch with me, or my image, during the Hunger Games. The drunken man, now sober, then asked what I had done that genuinely moved them. He didn't want anything with Peeta, or anything superficial, or anything connected with my physical appearance (hairstyle, dressing, my ability to shoot straight). He wanted everything that I had done that made them feel something real.

Everyone gave their feelings about things I did in the past two years that made them feel I was real, sincere. It finished by the realization that the moments in which I had the leading role were mostly all unscripted. Haymitch then proposed that I should go right into battle, in order to get a great take that would be decent enough to be aired everywhere. We then went to District 8, with Coin's approval. We filmed throughout the bombing, and I ended up getting an injury on my knee.

When we came back to District 13, we all gathered in the control room to see what was going to be aired as our propo. It was awesome, and I thought anyone watching it would join our side. The only thing left to do was to get through the protection that surrounded what was displayed in the Capitol. We wanted to show our propos in all the districts. We were counting on Beetee to do that.

I was brought back to the hospital in a wheelchair, as my knee wasn't yet healed. The doctors laid me in my bed and shot me some morphling in order to diminish my pain, and it put me to sleep. When I finally woke up, I had a visitor. Haymitch was sitting at the foot of my bed. He started to threaten me. He had a good reason to do so. I hadn't listen to him as we were in District 8. I took off my earpiece, and I wasn't supposed to. He told me that I had one last chance to wear the earpiece without removing it. If ever I did, I would end up wearing a sort of metal made headpiece that I identified as a head shackle. He told me that he would keep the only key that could open it in safety. If I did find a way to take it off, then I would end up having a tiny silver chip implanted in my ear which would enable Haymitch to speak to me twenty-four hours a day. After I made it clear that I wouldn't take off his stupid earpiece anymore, he told me that he already ate my lunch while he was waiting for me to wake up.

After he departed, I wanted badly to sleep again as I was anything but hungry. Instead of going into the arms of the drug Morphine, I thought about what happened in Eight. A dizzy nosedive crash, many bombs launched, my knee getting hurt, the hospital being completely destroyed, etc. As I was caught in my thoughts, I didn't realize that the afternoon had passed.

As the nurses were bringing our dinner, Finnick joined me with his tray and told me that the propo we saw in the morning was going to be aired. It was practically the same as I saw, the only difference being that the footage was intercut with short clips of Gale, Boggs, and Cressida describing the incident. Even though I could tell what was going to happen; I still thought it was horrible and I buried my head in my pillow.

Just as the propo ended and we were going to turn off the television, before seeing it again later, the Capitol began introducing a special segment. I saw Caesar, and I instantly knew who would be his guest. It was Peeta. Only one week had passed since I saw his last interview. Nothing prepared me for what I saw now. It couldn't be possible that he had changed this much in only seven days.

He no longer was the good-looking, healthy, clear-eyed boy I once knew. He seemed to have lost more than 15 pounds, and there was something in his attitude that made it clear that he was mentally and physically stressed. He had a nervous tremor in his hands, and his eyes were not able to set on a point. Even if there was a thick layer of foundation on his face, it was evident to me that he hadn't slept a lot lately. His beautiful clothes provided by the Capitol were doing a horrible job of hiding the pain he felt as he moved. He looked badly damaged.

Even when he talked, his speech held nothing interesting. He was talking as if being there with Caesar was the last thing on Earth he wanted. I tried to figure out what he was thinking but as far as I was from him physically, I was further away from him mentally. I whispered: "Oh, Peeta…" and Finnick gave my hand a gentle squeeze.

When Caesar asked Peeta if he thought the rumors were real about the propos, he said that he knew it was real and that they were using me to get support, reinforcement. He also said that he thought I didn't really knew what was going on in the war, what was at stake.

The next question Caesar asked was if there was anything he wanted to tell me. He actually did want to send me a message. His eyes fixed straight on the camera, directly into my own. He then said: "You're more intelligent than that. Really, think for yourself before you think about them. You're becoming their weapon that could serve in the destruction of Panem's humanity. I know you got great influence. Take charge of it and use it wisely. You can stop the war before it is too late. Do you trust the people with whom you're working? Do you really know what is going on? And if you don't... find out."

Right after his last word, the screen turned black, with the seal of Panem. It announced that the show was over. Before anything else, we turned off the television. Since he wasn't supposed to be with me, before he left, Finnick and I promised to each other that we only saw the propo, not Peeta's interview. We finished our dinner quickly. As I took my last bite, Plutarch and Fulvia entered my room. Finnick told them that Gale was looking very handsome on camera. We then congratulated them on the propo, how it was really moving and how people would go on our side after seeing this. They were so relieved that they left us. Peeta never became the subject matter.


	5. Chapter 5

Peeta's POV:

After the interview was over, I didn't have as much time after as I did with the first one. I pronounced my last word, the camera crew left, and I was dragged away. I didn't even have time to leave the chair I had sat on during the interview. As I was carried away, I saw someone coming near my neck. There was something weird in his or her hand. The next second, that person was taking a solid grip on my arm and pushed a needle through my neck. The liquid filled my body, it felt like dishwashing soap, really heavy. The needle was now out of my body and the person carrying it gone, I began to feel an extreme burning sensation. It was enough, though, to knock me out.

When I woke up, I was sitting in the monitor room, with the same person who had the needle. It turns out that it was a woman. She began to talk with me. She said that she was working for Snow but she was sort-of a double agent. I didn't know if she already made sure there was no one that could hear our conversation, but it seemed that she did as there was still no one coming in the room to drag her away and to knock me out.

It soon became obvious that she was a link with District 13. As she didn't want me to get hurt anymore, she only told me about superficial things, like Katniss' reactions as she was watching both interviews I did. As the needle woman pronounced the name of the Braided-girl, I told her to stop. I didn't want to hear anything about District 13, nor Katniss. I was so filled with disgust that I couldn't hear anything about her without going mad. The woman who stuck the needle in me then told me her name in order to make me think of something else. Her name was Dahlia. She didn't have many Capitol traits, but as she needed to have something a little different, her eyebrows were entirely plucked and replaced by some purple fluffy material which followed the shape of her temples, her once-existent eyebrows.

It kind of fitted her with her personality and all, but I really wondered why she chose to do that instead of simply wear a wig. I asked her, and her answer was that she was wearing one. I was astonished. She continued saying that she got sick, a lot. The treatment constituted in an exposure in chemical waves which, at the same time to heal, burned her hair and eyebrows from the inside. As she was still alive, she decided to help people, whether they were from the Capitol or not.

She now had to do her job, and plugged the awful suction cups to my frontal lobes. She was forbidden to tell me what they were exactly doing to me. It really scared the hell out of me not knowing what was happening. The only thing I realized was that once she pressed the button, the clips began to play and then I felt small fangs grip to my front lobes.

Every time I watched the clips they were different, but they were still all about Katniss. That part was really hard for me. I was now noticing new aspects of her personality that I never knew she had. She had an incredible survival sense, great enough to become scary. She seemed like nothing I thought she could be. The end of each session was marked by a nod of approval of the team who were there with me. I cried and shouted a lot that once in a while, some people had to go out because it was too heart-bending for them. When they brought a term to the session, they all had a look of relief.

I gestured so much that they sometimes had to put me handcuffs and attach me to the chair. It was because I started wanting to kill Katniss. A small part of me still had judgment. One day, Dahlia came in my cell and told me that Snow was planning to destroy thirteen by sending deep-exploding missiles. She told me that even if it was hard, I would have to say it the next time I was on air. I agreed, but it only came to me later how hard it would be mentally. I wanted badly to destroy her and then I had to save her randomly.

I couldn't sleep anymore at night without having nightmares. Then I started to daydream. They weren't nice at all. I only dreamt of several ways for Katniss to kill me, revive me and then kill me again. Each time, it became worse and worse the way she did it. One day, I dreamt that she drowned me and then gave me life by doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Then she killed me again by dropping a nest of tracker jackers right on my head.

It wasn't possible now that I once believed she was a nice person. Katniss was now the complete opposite in my mind. She wasn't trustworthy. After each session of the treatment, she seemed less and less human to me, with her ability to have a lot of composure, so much it wasn't quite possible to be human at this point.

My dreams were becoming uglier. The braided-girl was still killing me, but now, she was turning into a mutt. She had the possibility to come and go between her orange monkey form and her human form. At one moment she was ripping off my skin with her claws, the next, she was kicking me in the face and spitting some viscous liquid.

As Snow seemed satisfied from the results of his treatment, he announced to me that I would be on air again. This time, it was on the President's mansion balcony that the set took place. Surprisingly, Portia only dabbed a small amount of foundation on my face, just to conceal small imperfections. The television crews made me sit on a stool, next to Snow. I couldn't stay in position as my body was crossed by cramps and I had a great deal of nervous tricks. On cue, I told the areas in Panem that were very damaged, as requested by the first man of Panem. All of a sudden, on the monitor that was displaying the words for me, I saw Katniss, standing in some rubble. Then, a broadcast battle ensued. There were more clips sent by the rebel side than the Capitol, and the filming crew looked panicky around me.

Soon enough, everything stopped and we continued on a steady beat. As there were many frantic exchanges, I couldn't catch quite everything that was said. Just then, Snow came to me and asked me if I had any parting thoughts for Katniss. I had to pull myself together. I couldn't believe what I was going to say, as it passed through my lips: "Katniss… how do you think this will end? What will be left? No one is safe. Not in the Capitol. Not in the districts. And you… in Thirteen…" I couldn't continue for a moment, the effort it took me to go against what I thought was exhausting. As there was a little voice in the back of my mind which told me I was doing the right thing, I finished my sentence: "Dead by morning!"

Just as I close my mouth, I saw the camera now focus on the floor's tiles. I didn't have time to react when I realized a Peacekeeper already had a solid grip on my head. Then, I received a very powerful blow of his knee in my stomach and then I was punched several times on my face. I coughed and there was blood that came out. The last thing I saw before being carried away was the camera filming the track of my blood on the tiles.


	6. Chapter 6

Peeta's POV:

I was glad to be back in the same area that I once was. I would certainly not be going back in the same cell as Johanna or Annie, but still, we could talk through our doors. Maybe the president thought that it would be easier to get control over me.

I also believed that the Capitol now had more to do than to "take care" of us. Some technician brought a television in each cell and made it possible for us to see each broadcast show. The night after my last interview, I witnessed the collective murder of my old stylist Portia, and her assistants. It shocked me more than every clip of Katniss they showed me. In fact, I knew it was because of her they died. I didn't want to see her anymore. If it happened, I think I would try to do my best to get rid of her.

A week passed. There was nothing going on. All of a sudden, our treatments ended and nobody was coming near us. It was even a robot which brought us our meals. The only thing we could do was watch the television or sleep. By doing both, I only had a terrible image running through my mind: Katniss, the mutt. I couldn't sleep, so I sat near my cell's door and invited Annie and Johanna to do the same.

At the beginning, none of us were talkative. Slowly, we started being less shy and we all shared our worries and thoughts. We bet on how much time it would take the people from the other side (that's how we called people from District 13 to avoid saying it loud, as it only reminded me of Katniss and that it would make me lose my grip) to save us.

One night, just as we saw some clips about the dead tributes, we heard an explosion at the end of hall. There were no guards near our cells, surprisingly. The rebels blew our doors out and then took a grip on our shoulders.

We began to run towards a door, when an enormous posse of Peacekeepers emerged from it. Some orders were shouted out loud and all the rebel soldiers took their assigned place in the well-trained group formation. Guns were fired, but we made our exit in less than 10 minutes.

We embarked on a hovercraft that was directed towards District 13. I began to scream, to roar and to gesture before I felt a needle puncture mu arm. Someone gave me some sedative in order to calm me down. They then put me into restraints so that I couldn't do any harm. After a fly of nearly 3 hours, we landed in the indoor hangar, situated well below ground zero.

Some nurses entered in the hangar and brought us three prisoners into the hospital. It was impressive how a whole District had been built in a subterranean environment. Their air was conducted by numerous pipes all punctured very carefully to let the right amount of O2 go out in order to be breathed.

While we were directed, I was looking everywhere trying to understand the intricate design that managed to have such a great population living here. Also, I noticed that people were staring at me as if they thought I was their savior. Some others did so with a look of embarrassment as if I did not look right; as if I had gone mad.

We finally entered the medical center. I was brought to a room and the nurse who accompanied me told me to lie down on the bed which was installed there. The doctors soon arrived and tested me to know if I'd been the victim of some trauma as I was carried away from the Capitol. I guess they thought everything was fine because they soon left my room without coming back.

I remained silent and I did nothing. In fact, there was nothing for me to do instead of lying there in my bed. A lot of noise was coming from outside my hospital room. I then heard something or someone collapse on the wall. I guessed the latter and even if it was someone, he was really heavy or there were two, as the "thump" was really loud.

I heard some people express their enjoyment for the two persons who collided with the wall. Right after that, I heard someone's footsteps come closer to my door. That person seemed to be happy, looking forward to see me. She took a breath or two before coming in.

As she did, my eyes opened momentarily. Katniss then seemed puzzled. Not thinking anything, she came closer to me. A smile widened across her face. She seemed happy to finally get to see me, to be with me.

It seemed weird that someone who was so selfish and who wanted to kill me would be happy to see me. Before I realized it, my hands lifted themselves. Katniss thought it was for a hug, so she leaned closer. I then put my hands around her neck and strangled her.  
I didn't press my hands very heavily on her neck yet, she was able to make it out easily. Still, there were my fingers' marks on her neck. The door opened and she left. I hadn't seen that look on her face yet. She seemed puzzled and horrified. As she crossed the door, someone grabbed her arms and brought her away from my sight.

Some doctor came in, with a nurse. I was infuriated that they let her come near me. She could have tried to kill me with her viscous saliva or even try ripping my skin off… I knew what she was, and I screamed it out loud: "SHE'S A MUTT!" Another needle was stuck into my neck and I felt my head becoming heavy. I was going in the arms of Morpheus, but I continued to scream less and less loudly: "She's a mutt! She's a mutt. She's a mutt… She's a mu… She's a… She's… She… Shh". The last thing I was conscious of doing was gurgling.


	7. Chapter 7

Katniss' POV:

My eyes were bulging. I was everything but prepared for Peeta's stunt. No trace of the boy with the bread I once knew remained. Everything in his eyes suspected violence and destruction. It was even worse when he looked at me. At the very moment his hands pressed on my neck, even if t wasn't very injurious, I became silent. There was a group of people who rushed in the room in order to take me out of Peeta's control. I was so shocked that my body was all stiffened. I thought for a moment that I became as lifeless as a rag doll.

Only a week after, I went over my state of stupefaction. The doctors were relieved to know I was still able to talk. It surprised me to hear my voice again. As everyone in the crew in charge of district 13 didn't want me near Peeta, I was sent in district 2, to turn some new propos. I was glad to go there. I wouldn't have to face the man he had become. Just before I left to 2, I heard Primrose discussing with fellows doctors about a new approach to heal Peeta. It involved doing the same thing as they did in the Capitol, but instead of using tracker-jacker venom, using morphling. I didn't think it would work so instead of get in the conversation, I went on the hovercraft to district two.

At first, I was introduced all the setting for the workers and the main place where the Capitol's material was made. As Plutarch said it was a hard nut to crack after Lyme explained that they tried to blow it off without success, I called the mountain the Nut. Most of all, I was supposed to make people join us, instead of being on the Capitol's side. It made two weeks I've been there and I've often moved before to make people know where I lived. I helped them, talked to them, and consoled them. Then, the brains joined us, in the masonry district. Every time the brains are implied, obviously Gale was to come as he was an important part of them.

Beetee and Gale thought that, in order to get rid of the Capitol's material, they needed to efficiently blow the nut up. My hunting companion said that the only thing they needed to do was to make an explosion near the entrances, to do an avalanche and then, to totally block the entrances. Lyme didn't want to kill everyone who was working in there, as there were some people on our side, they decided not to blow the entrance linked to the train station.

As the mountain was destroyed, I was watching it live, in the town square. I really felt uneasy. It reminded me of the mine which exploded leading to mine and Gale's fathers' death. It was horrible, I wondered what to do. As Plutarch didn't want me to catch a cold, he let me come in. Meanwhile, I was receiving some news about what happened in 12 as I was in 2. They showed a clip of me talking about Lady, the goat, to Peeta. Apparently, he stayed in a state of stupor for hours and then asked for nothing else than the goat. Haymitch said that considering that confusion was better than destruction, it was an improvement.

The day went by and we were all waiting for something to happen in the City circle. As Plutarch thought everything was over and that all the people working in the mountain were dead, he got me prepared to do an announcement that would be broadcast live in all Panem. The television crew from thirteen decided I would be dressed in my Mockingjay suit, as I am a symbol for the rebels. They counted down to one and told me I was officially on air. As it was near midnight, the city square was illuminated by the spotlights. At the same time I was filmed, I was displayed on 2 giant screens in the square.

I could see what was happening and I could see how I looked. As I finished my first sentence, I saw a flaming train coming in the train station. There were an incredible number of people in it. All of a sudden, the doors opened, with a screeching noise and the town's square was filled in no time. People were stressed, and the rebels started to shoot on every citizen that came out from the Nut.

As I realized they were only victims from a mine accident, I asked the rebels to hold the fire. As they did, I approached a man who was seriously injured, holding a bloody cloth at his cheek, in order to help him. As I was at hand reach, he pulled himself on his knees and trained a gun on my head.

By instinct, I backed up and to signify that my intentions were harmless, I dropped my bow and my quiver containing my arrows on the ground. His eyes were filled with craze, pain and fear. All of a sudden, for the first time in 3 days, I hear Haymitch telling me to freeze. I threw a look to the closest screen and I realized that all Panem was seeing this. The man with the gun asked me if I could give him one reason why he shouldn't shoot me. Even if I knew I could have come up with thousands, I was so stressed that I only answered: "_I can't_".

As I thought that he was going to shoot, I lowered my bow. Instead, the man seemed perplexed, confused. As I thought he was on the Capitol side, I continued to talk: "_I can't. That's the problem, isn't it? We blew up your mine. You burned my district to the ground. We've got every reason to kill each other. So do it. Make the Capitol happy. I'm done killing their slaves for them._" As I finished my speech, I gave my bow a nudge with my foot. It was enough to go rest by his knees.

Then, he muttered that he wasn't a slave of the Capitol. To that, I replied that I was, as I was forced in their games, killed people, and how I was tired to be a piece of their Games. Haymitch told me, in my earpiece, to continue to talk, as I was still being filmed. I ask the man with the gun why he was fighting with the rebels on rooftops, with Lyme, a victor and with people who were his neighbors or even his family. He didn't know the answer but he still had his gun pointed towards my temple.

I continued to talk as I tried desperately to move these people, to make them understand that the rebels weren't their enemy, that it was the Capitol. At the end, I pleaded them to join us, to agree with us. I watched the screen, in the hope to see some sign of reconciliation, of agreement. Instead, I saw myself get shot.


	8. Chapter 8

Peeta's POV:

I was waking up to a beeping sound. Slowly, the memories of what happened came back to my mind. My hands landed on Katniss' throat. I wanted to kill her. As I did, there was this little voice in the back of my mind that kept telling I had no reason to do this. I hate being conflicted with myself. The feeling is weird inside me. I feel like I have two persons inside me. There is me, who I am; and this little voice giving advice.

As they noticed I was awake, the doctors came in to get me through a new battery of tests. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Aurelius began to ask me questions about what I remembered about Katniss, what were my memories. The order he wanted me to give him was from the most recent to the oldest. I noticed that behind the glass, as the light coming in the room got through it, I could see people. Haymitch was with them.

This mind exercise was easy I thought. I gave him my list. I saw Katniss before the blow of the Arena, she was shooting an arrow. Before that, there was this night on the beach that I couldn't know what to think of it. As I thought about it, the only thing that seemed plausible was that Katniss and I were in love. I rejected the idea as I knew it couldn't be possible. The memory was coming back and forth in my mind so fast that it was impossible to bear. I screamed and the medical crew came in to shoot me some morphling in my IV.

As Dr. Aurelius convinced me that it would help me to sort the good memories from the bad, he told me that I had to repeat it at least one time by day. As I repeated it and accepted some memories that happened, I had to add an older one every time I acknowledged one. It was definitely harder than I thought. At the end of each session, I was exhausted. Since the Chief Medical Officer wanted me to improve my attitude, I couldn't pass one day without doing his exercise.

After it made two weeks I was in Thirteen, I knew that it was safe enough for me to go to the canteen to eat with fellow rebel citizens. It was safe, but I had to be handcuffed and to have the permission to sit with them. Obviously, I thought I could be pitied on. I stiffened when the thought ran into my head: Katniss would definitely laugh me if she saw the state I was in.

Katniss. This name was sounding like a distorted melody to my ear. I decided to pull Dr. Aurelius' advice further than what he told me. I began to make a list about what I remembered I was, before and after my last time in the Capitol. I shivered. My name is Peeta Mellark, I am seventeen years old, and I've been in the Hunger Games two times. My head was spinning and I felt overwhelmed by the memories that were assaulting my mind.

As my room's door was always open, to allow the medical crew to come at any time, when it was needed, I could hear some conversations happening in the hall in front of me. One day, I heard Katniss' mother and sister walking side by side and the little girl was saying that the medical crew could try a new treatment on me. I was intrigued by the idea. I shouted: "Primrose!" I was astonished that I remembered her name so easily. The blond-braided girl came in my room and looked at me with a questioning look:

-Yes?

- I heard you in the hallway... What is this cure you were talking with your mother?

- Oh!... It is simply a thought that went on my mind. I know that in the Capitol, they hijacked you with tracker-jacker venom. I thought that it could have been possible to reverse the process by doing the same thing, using morphling instead of venom.

At the moment she finished her sentence, I heard Haymitch enter my room, saying:

-This is a wonderful idea, sweetheart. Maybe you could go tell it to Dr. Aurelius?

She replied: "Certainly. I think that he'll like it."

Primrose left my hospital room after tucking my sheets and pushing a button which brought my bed up so I could be sitting in it. She was really sweet, so different from her older sister. In fact, I couldn't still believe that these two were related. Just as I thought that, the small voice in the back told me that it wasn't that surprising, that both girls could be caring but in their own way. I couldn't conciliate the fact that Katniss could be kind and caring.

Haymitch told me that Katniss left for district two. Some instinct grew inside me, making me want to leave my bed, and go protect that girl. Confused by that feeling, not knowing what it meant, I snapped:

-Why did you told me?

- I thought that you would be interested as you seem to get more and more hold on your explosive personality *He rolled his eyes*

- Well, I didn't suspect it but I am. How are things going?

-Hmm... Where to start? She is supposed to move people along our side. From the feedback I got, she is doing quite well, but things aren't moving fast enough for me. Tonight, they are supposed to get their trap in action. Maybe, I could get some nurse to install a television in your room so that you could watch what is going to happen, if you can manage it.

- Yes, go for that. In the meanwhile, I'll take a nap...

- Your life is so exciting. *He smirks* you wake up, talk, eat a little bit then go back to sleep or you are knocked off if things get violent.

- Well, this is better than being drunk all the time for twenty-five years then having to get sober being cold turkey.

-Oh! You didn't have to be this mean. This is hard enough as it is, no need to spread thick. I guess I'll have to get used to this side of you.

- This is not the first time someone's being a little harsh with you. You surely can handle it.

- Yes... With that, I'll get you that television before you turn into that evil mutt version of yours.

- Do that. By the way, thank you Haymitch, for everything.

- You're welcome *smiles and leaves*

This was weird. I felt like an old part of me just got over the new me. I think Haymitch is happy because it is a step in the right path. It doesn't happen often that the once drunken man smiles like that. I felt warmth grow inside me. Suddenly, I remember something:

- Haymitch?

-*footsteps drawing near* Yes?

- Please, don't tell Katniss until she's back. You can tell her little piece of improvement but not everything that just happened.

- This is fine with me. I think she's going under a lot of stress right now and I can't add a lot on her shoulders.

- Thanks again, I owe you so much.

- I'm going to call Dr. Aurelius. Do you want to try the theory Prim came up with?

- I don't know. Is there a risk that it fails?

- I'm really not sure. However, it can't be worse than showing you these videos they showed you there.

- Maybe... I'll keep up with the first treatment Dr. Aurelius gave me. Can you please tell Katniss that they tried the treatment with the morphling but to build a lie around it, so I would be safe and her too?

- I surely can do that, Have I already told you that when I was young, I was considered the biggest liar of all district 12?

-No, but I believe you.

Plutarch joined us in the room. He seemed overjoyed. I knew it wouldn't take long before I knew what put him in that state. I was so right:

- Hello Peeta, he said, greeting me with his Capitol accent.

- Hi, I replied.

- You know, I'm planning to do a big propo and I wanted to know if you wanted to help me with some preparations.

- Of course *I smiled* what do you want me to do?

- I want you to do something that I know you're the best at, only if you feel like doing it.

- You want me to frost something?

- Exactly! The propo will be Finnick and Annie's wedding!

-Oh! Of course I'll be frosting their wedding cake.

- This is also going to be a surprise for Katniss. She has no clue of the improvement you made in the last two weeks.

- Is it possible to do it alone?

- As we're not sure this there aren't any risks, I think it is better if you keep your handcuffs and that two guards are with you...

- If this is the only condition, I guess I'm supposed to say yes *I winked*

- I think we're all happy to finally see the good version of you, Peeta.

- When do you want me to start?

- The wedding is set to happen in three days and Katniss is coming in two. Maybe you could start tomorrow, so Katniss wouldn't suspect anything?

- This would work with me. Will you come to search me when it'll be the time tomorrow?

- Yes, I'll be there in the late morning.

*A day passes*

Plutarch came to search me. He had two imposing guards behind him. I guessed they would be my companions for the rest of the day. I wasn't too pleased, but I knew it was safer for everybody. So, I got my exit permission and I got directed towards the kitchen. All the cooks stopped doing what they were doing to watch us coming in. Soon enough, we stopped and I've been told the kitchen operation. I even got two cooks there to help me.

When all the guidelines were told, I began to work. It was soothing to do something I used to do for a long time. I felt like recovering from all my injuries and to be again. I think that I was even more proud of this cake I was frosting than all I did in my parent's bakery.

Sometimes, when my mind was wandering, I was thinking about how much I was missing my family. All those days in the bakery, joking with my brothers Wyatt and Gabriel. It was all gone when the Capitol bombed our district, the only thing left being the debris and the ashes.

I knew I couldn't allow myself to wander in those areas of my mind or else the results would be catastrophic. I told myself I would think about it later, alone, in my bedroom, when the only person that could be harm would be me. I focused on the cake and made the best I could. The wedding thematic was the district 4, where the fiancés were from. I painted little indigo waves all over the cake. On one of them was a little sailor on his boat looking at the horizon.

I added a lot of details that could remind everyone from the fishing district. I even added a trident to signify the weapon of choice of the groom. On the top layer, there was a boat carrying both of the to-be-wed. I made sure they looked as they did in the real life, only smaller. It took me almost eight hours. I definitely could say that when I was done, I couldn't wait to get to my room to get to sleep.

I finished it, took a step back and looked at my masterpiece. I was really satisfied of the result. I asked my assistants of the day to put it somewhere where it could be kept cool so it couldn't go stale. The two guards brought me back to the hospital room. I realized that ever since I came in Thirteen, I haven't been designated a bedroom. I looked at my wrist because when I was frosting I heard a clunk noise and felt something fall on my handcuff. There was a metal wristband where we could read "Mentally Disorientated". Well! I must've fell deep down, to have that on my arm.

As soon as I lied on my bed and that my head touched the pillow, I drift off in sleep. When I woke up again, Haymitch was in my room waiting for me to open my eyes. He rose from his chair and drew near to be by my side. His face seemed like he was about to drop a bomb. Never could have got me prepared for what he was about to tell me:

- Katniss got shot in district two.


End file.
